Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-21
The City Under q Cloud Of Dust Between
7and 8 0'clock-Damage Done
by the Blow.

y
some heat Of the city for the refreshing air
Of the country.
DUsT-sTORN.
About : or 7:15 there came gusts from the
west, which ratified the dead leaves from
the trees and raised some dust. Soon after
ward the wind arose in it, might and up
lifted the sand from the roads and from the
macadamized streets. and hurled IL into
the city with violence rarely before ex-
perienced here. Then all those who had
been driving turned their horses heads
homewaTds, and there was great clatter Of
hOOfs and rattle Of wheels on west Frank
lin street particularly.
II was sight TO see the crowd OF vehi-
clCs rushing before the wind, and such wa
the cloud OF dust that OverspTead them
that the wonder is there were no serious
accidents from people driving into each
other.
FINAL BLAST.
Following the dust.storm came a blast
OF more severity than any that had pre-
ceded il, and hundreds Of trees bowed
and many broke before its strength, aud
then came q great shower Of rain, where
upon the wind abated. Many folks seated
in their open carriages were drenched t.
the skin before they could get to shelter.
The streets were washed clean. and the
air became relieved OF its closeness and
heat.
DAMAGE 20 TREES.
One Of the trees in the Capitol Square
near the dollhouse fell. crushing a section
of the iron fence and damaging the electric.
light wires strung on poles over the curl
stone. The next tree 10 this was nearly
uprOoted and is nov aslant towards the
Dollhouse. The half Of great O,ahcile
mulberry on Grace street, next door TO DR..
Reads church, fell over the fence Of the
residence adjoining. a limb was 10 n
from the great sycamore on Franklin be.
tween Sixth and Seventh strce,S. A large
portion OF the mulberry at the northeast
corner Of Main and First streets was blown
down across the fence OF Or. Cabclfs resi-
Gence.
A great many Of the shade.trees in Capt.
lol Square and in Monroe Park and in the
residential parts OF the city were more or
less stripped Of limbs. An the trees we-e
in Iich foliage. and many Of them are sadly
maIrcd rs to beauty, while not materially
injured otherwise.
In all the eastern and western sections OF
the CITY last night il was the common thing
to find branches and limbs Of trees IN pl2ces
on the sidewalks.
TIE CITY AND THE TREES.
The trees on the sidewalks no matter by
whom planted are claimed as the property
Of the city, and the authorities this year
have not allowed them 10 be trimmed wi,h-
out permission fist obtained from the City
Engineers Office. Nor has The city itself
attempted to do the work it has stopped
the pToperty-ow wncrs from doing. In
this state Of affairs il ls the public
belief that where damage occurs from
the falling OF a VIGOROUSLY decayed
tree the city will be responsible.
Most Of the old mulberry-treeS are rotten,
ana are therefore liable to fall under any
such pressure OF wind as prevailed last
night. Most Of them ought to be cut down,
for they are not only dangerous but they
are very unsightly. Luckily no consider
able damage was done by falling trees last
night, or the city might be called upon to
settle accounts. II the city will take charge
! OF the shadC-treeS on the sidewalks they
| ought to exercise over them a reasonable
| care.
RAIN AND Darkness.
From about = to 10 o'clock the showers
were occasional, but some Of them were
! tolcrabiv heavy. After that hour II COM
menced 10 rain steadily.
In several parts Of the city the electric
lamIs were not in operation IN conse-
quenco Of damage done the wires by falling
limbs.
A gentleman who was down the river a
few mile. below the city between : and
O'Clock says that though there was ieluge
Of dr>t there wa, no rain. II is probable
| that some OF the later SHOWERS reached that
section. II j. 10 be hoped 80, a the Vege-
talion was beginning TO show The want oi
II. Up the river, however judging from
the color Of the water we have been drink
ing OF late, there must have been abundant
showers every two or three days in The red
hill country.
Accompanying the showers was but
trinng display Of lightning. and IN the
evening there was no great amount oI
| thunder; but late at night there were >eye-
raj terrific peals, shaking the earth and all
| that 1t contained hcrcabouts.
A CIGAR ESTABLISHMENT DAMAGED.
During the wind-stoUn the tin roof OF
Edel Brothers establishment, l0j south
Twelfth stIeet, was taken oil in one s1eet
| large stock Of fine cigars was stored IN
The top story; 3ut Messrs. Barnes NJ
| Rucker, book.keeper, and N. p. Davis,
| sbiDping clerk, who were IN the building
! moved the goods down stairs before The
| rain came, thus saving several thousand
dollars to the firm.
| OTHER DAMAGES.
| At11.45 the electric tights went out, and
the streets where those lights are used
| were plunged into darkness.
An unfinished two. tory frame building
| on TAYLOR street was blown down.
| Eioht houses were unroofed on Pine
| strect-four between Cary and Cumberland
| and four others between Albemarle anC
| oorjne streets. The front OF frame build
ing adjoining one Of the last four was
| blown out.
The vivid fash Of lightning about
mIarter 10 II O'Clock gave Policeman TO
| Liuson severe shock on Church-Hlil ave-
| nue. and splintercd two Of the electric-llgh
poles. o,o., c.or
| rv street, had his cheok-bone broken Oy
| the falling Of an awning.
About twenty-five tire-alarm boxes were
| mi out OF order by the slOrp, and forc'
| of bards were at work all night putting
| item in repair.
| The roof of UniOn-Siation church wa
| dan aged slightly.
| In Manchester.
| The wind blew hercely in Manchester
| and there was dense cloud OF dust, iot
lowed by rain; but so far as learned las
| rioht there was no damage beyond th
| blowing down Of a few old fences.
On the Free bridge the force oil the wac
was probably greater than anywhere else
as there il met with few impedimentS L
its course. While Mr.. Hewlett, VINO keep
a dairy lust outside the corporation was re
turning from Richmond, and when aOOu
half way across the bridge, his covered
wagon was upturned and blown owe
against the guard-raiI on the outside oi IN
| wulGwalk. I'll.
AL the Manchester end OF the DrldS
some fencing was toppled over, ana net
the Richmond end several pieces OF pun
were borne on the airy element from the,
resting place in Montague's lumner-ya.u
lust cast Of the bridge, TO the nearest Wa'h
way Of the bridge.
One OF the Manchester sueet.clr driver
who was crossing the bridge al the time
said to a Dispatch reporter last nlght lhl
had his ear. which contained but iew pa
sengers. been close winter one insteau =
the omen summer one that It was II Woul
have been blown entirely of the bridge.
The awning TO the Petersburg raiIroi